The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would upgrade security at U.S. airports in the aftermath of the Brussels and Istanbul attacks while extending funds for the Federal Aviation Administration for another 14 months.
In an 89-to-4 vote, the lawmakers sent the legislation on to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature. The House of Representatives approved the same measure on Monday.
It includes provisions that require tougher vetting of aviation workers with access to secure airport areas, expedited security checks to move passengers more quickly from airport areas that are not secured and a larger number of police dogs for security duty in the U.S. transportation system.
It extends the current level of federal funding for FAA programs through September 2017.
Congress has been struggling to find agreement on a more comprehensive package to reauthorize the U.S. aviation regulatory agency. A measure that would have provided FAA funding over six years stalled in the House earlier this year, amid disagreement over a proposal to privatize the U.S. air traffic control system.
The House later failed to take up a Senate reauthorization bill but added security features from that measure into the legislation approved this week.
House Republicans say they intend to use the time between now and September 2017 to find ways to move the privatization plan forward.
A Turkish court has jailed seven suspects pending trial on terrorism charges over last month's triple suicide bombing at Istanbul's main airport. The attack killed 45 people. Islamic State suicide bombers killed 16 people at Brussels airport - as well as 16 on a Brussels metro train - on March 22 this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment